


This is the sea

by Sharking



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Andreil, Angst, Autistic Character, Autistic Kevin, Child Abuse, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, M/M, No Exy AU, Panic Attacks, Poverty, Road Trips, Sick Character, Sick Fic, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:35:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28113243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharking/pseuds/Sharking
Summary: Andrew Minyard is rude. Rude, rude, rude. That's all he's known for and nobody other than his cousin has but one good word to say about him. To be fair there's also Renee, but she only says bad things about racists, homophobes, islamaphobes and the like. Although Andrew is rude he is none of the previously stated three. He's not a bigot or even a bully. He doesn't pick on people weaker than him, he doesn't target, or name call or take your lunch money. He is however, a dick.Neil Josten is sick. Sick, sick, sick. Anyone who looked at him could tell. He was thin, like he'd been born slim and hadn't eaten since. His wrists looked delicate but his middle finger went flying whenever anyone implied he was weak. He was rude, but no one called him out for it, because he was sick. And he wasn't as rude as Andrew anyway.-Andrew and Neil become unlikely friends to fulfill Neil’s final wish, to see the ocean before he dies.
Relationships: Allison Reynolds/Renee Walker (All For The Game), Katelyn/Aaron Minyard, Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 16
Kudos: 69





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy!

Andrew Minyard is rude. Rude, rude, rude. That's all he's known for and nobody other than his cousin has but one good word to say about him. To be fair there's also Renee, but she only says bad things about racists, homophobes, islamaphobes and the like. Although Andrew is rude he is none of the previously stated three. He's not a bigot or even a bully. He doesn't pick on people weaker than him, he doesn't target, or name call or take your lunch money. He is however, a dick. 

Ask him where a classroom is and he'll stare at you without saying a word. Compliment him, he'll threaten you. Hit on him . . . you'll probably end up changing schools in a weeks time. It had happened before with Katy, the girl obsessed with "bad boys" and changing them for the good. She'd gotten a knife pointed at her when she sat down next to Andrew at lunch one day. All she'd said to him was, "Let's go to the movies". There had also been Lee who was smart and cute and kind and popular, Andrew and him disappeared one day. Andrew returned three days later, Lee had moved to Grady High School. Then there was Kevin, 

Everyone had expected Andrew to treat Kevin the same way he treated his not-so-secret admirers, but no knife was pulled, no expulsions handed out, no school changing, and no threats. They were . . . friends. As odd as it seems they were really truly friends. 

Andrew was never soft, Kevin was no exception. He still barked out laughs when Kevin fell and didn't let him close enough to touch. But Andrew also protected Kevin. Pulled him (metaphorically) to his side and said, "this one, you're not gonna mess with this one". Kevin, Nicky (the cousin) and Aaron (the twin). This was his circle. 

Andrew was rude. That's all people saw. And that was (almost) all that was there. 

\- 

Neil Josten is sick. Sick, sick, sick. Anyone who looked at him could tell. He was thin, like he'd been born slim and hadn't eaten since. His wrists looked delicate but his middle finger went flying whenever anyone implied he was weak. He was rude, but no one called him out for it, because he was sick. And he wasn't as rude as Andrew anyway. He was on crutches. He'd started limping a few months back, fainted a couple times, and came back Monday with crutches. He was leaning on them more and more. There was a rumor the yearbook has an In Memoriam page prepared in case he dies. Neil wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

He was friendly to few and wicked to many. His smile was always sharp and his tongue got him into trouble more often than not. But he was still the sick kid. He was asked to be in videos and events and promotional photos. He rejected them every time.

He didn't have friends, but there were plenty of people clambering at the bit to befriend the sick kid. And he hated it. Hated being treated differently. Like his friendship was a commodity. 

And his mother, well that was something no one saw. They saw her on the news crying infront of their house, their trailer, telling the interviewer that they couldn't afford his surgery. That's what people saw, they didn't see the tight grip of her hand. The bruises on his frail brittle arms. The fear. 

Well Neil was sick, that's all people saw. Everyone but Andrew that is. 

\- 

Andrew and Neil weren't necessarily friends. Neil wasn't in Andrew's circle and Andrew certainly wasn't in Neil's. They were different sides of the same coin. Isolated from everyone else. 

Andrew had been held back a year because of a stint in juvie so the brother he held too tight and the bright cheery cousin were long gone and graduated. His circle was breaking free while he was still anchored to the same point. They'd freed themselves and Andrew could only watch as they swam towards the surface, further and further from him. 

Neil was a junior taking senior classes. He was smart as shit, had been since before the illness too. He'd started getting bad sophomore year. Whispers went around like a frenzy of flies and soon everyone knew, 

"Did you hear the news? Neil's got cancer." 

"Holy shit, Neil Brown?" 

"No Neil Josten." 

"Uh . . . Does he go here?" 

"Yes you idiot." 

You get the idea. 

He'd gotten cancer. The type that's slow and fatal. 7% survival rate. Isn't that funny. Only seven percent. Neil thought it was funny in a cruel way. After all his mother had done to keep him alive, he got cancer with a 7% survival rate. 

People gave him sad looks and his teachers told him they understand if he needs an extension. He didn't, but he took it anyway. His mom worked all day and all night. She said it was to afford the hospital bills. They did have more bills than a sick kid and a single mom ought to, but Neil didn't think that's why she worked so much. 

He thinks she can't stand the sight of him.

He knows she can't.

So he goes to parks and rec centers and interacts with hyper happy people who try to make a difference. The teen center, a block and a half down the road from school, is one such place. This is where he and Andrew met. 

\- 

Andrew's home is empty a lot. Nicky pays for it, comes to town on weekends, makes sure he has food and heat and school supplies. But he never stays. He leaves for a fancy job that he's great at and he loves. Andrew can't blame him for that, would never ask him to sacrifice the life he's fought so hard for just for him, but Andrew hates to be alone. He’s not anymore, not really, he has Kevin. 

And Kevin has support group on Wednesday's after school. It's a peer group for other autistic kids. Andrew tags along and waits in the sitting area for him to finish up. There's always food and games and people. It's always the poor kids too. The ones with bruises or threadbare clothes. Andrew doesn't mind, he even likes a few of them. 

Renee is in an overcrowded group home that's just waiting for her to age out. She comes here almost everyday. Her girlfriend is privileged beyond belief but she loves Renee and wherever she goes Allison is quick to follow. There's also Dan and Matt. They're youth employees, which means they're freshmen or sophomores in college and probably don't get paid. Matt's a great cook and Andrew devours whatever he makes for everyone. Aaron and Nicky used to come here too, Aaron for the little cheerleader who's got some family issue and Nicky to bond with his two withdrawn cousins. 

The crowd thins and thickens depending on the day and new faces aren't so strange. There is one face however, Andrew was especially unexcited to see. 

Neil Josten. The kid with cancer. 

He'd walked in, a little limp in his step. Heavy, light, heavy, light, his steps followed a pattern that irked Andrew for no apparent reason. He leveled a glare at Andrew and Andrew leveled a glare at him back. 

They sat on different couches and both managed to stare at nothing the whole time they waited. Matt served up scrambled eggs everyone which they both ate quickly. He gave them odd looks but didn’t say anything.

Kevin wouldn't shut up about cancer kid. His special interest was disease though so it sort of made sense. It was all he and Aaron could talk about when he came down from college. Glioblastoma. 

The knowledge that behind those locks of red hair, beneath skin and bone, there was a tumour. It didn't make Andrew want to rip out his brains any less, stuck in weird competitive silence with the boy. While he contemplated how one might actually go about "ripping out their brains" the time ticked by until finally it hit 4:15. Kevin's meeting didn't finish until 4:30 but at 4:15 something very peculiar happened. A woman, fair skin, dark hair, cold eyes, and skinny wrists walked in and sat beside Neil. 

He and Neil's silent challenge was put on hold. The sick boys focus was totally on the person next to him. Neil looked like her in size alone. Andrew wondered who she was. 

Of course Andrew didn't look away from the book he'd pretended to be reading. In fact he leaned back, farther away from the two. His ears were perked though, waiting to overhear some juicy conversation. He flipped a page and pretended to know who Isabella was. 

"How was work?" 

She sighed heavily and put a sharp nailed hand on his knee, she squeezed a little too hard a little too long. 

"It was long, please be quiet. I have a headache." 

And so they sat. Neil, this woman, and Andrew.

That is until Kevin walked out amongst a sea of people. He didn't look good so Andrew took his attention off of Neil for a moment. Kevin walked up to him, "I need to go home now." He said smoothly while snapping a hairband against his wrist repetitively. 

"I'll drive you." 

Normally they would walk to the teen center together and after they were done, Kevin would walk home while Andrew would walk back to the school's parking lot, but Kevin looked upset and Andrew wasn't a complete dick. Not to everyone. 

"Do you want me to bring the car here or walk to the car together." 

"I'll wait. Neil is here. I'll introduce myself." 

Andrew looked at the grip that hadn't left Neil's leg. The woman realized he was staring and put on a pleasant face, it was creepy to watch. He was good at picking up on that sort of thing, many people were not. many would be fooled. He would't let himself be. 

"Can I help you with something boys?" 

Andrew ignored her and turned to Kevin, "Three minutes and I'll be out front okay?" 

Kevin nodded and started walking towards the pair. Andrew walked out the door. 

\- 

Since that day Neil was a more real presence. He would always show up early to his meeting and sit there silently. Then the woman - who Kevin had told him was his mother - would show up and he would continue to sit there stiffly until they entered the meeting room. It was a peculiar pattern. And Neil followed it for two months before finally breaking it. He did so by fainting. 

He was on the couch, alert as all hell while trying to look the exact opposite, when his head lolled and his eyes closed. No one seemed to notice, he just looked asleep. 

Andrew stood cautiously. This was a new boundary they were crossing. He took the spot his mother would normally take and sat down. He plopped his book on Neil's lap. 

No reaction. 

He poked his cheek. 

Nothing. 

He held a finger an inch away from his nose and felt the constant inhale exhale of breath. He was alive, but he was out cold. 

So Andrew waited beside him. Picked up the book and started to read. He'd gotten through Isabella's story, then Jay's, and now he was working on Offred's. A page and a half into his reading Neil startled and let out a little noise of displeasure. He whipped his head around and had a half second of panic, a half a second of relief, and then a mask of indifference on his face. Had he been expecting his mother? 

"You fainted." 

Neil didn't look great. The bags under his eyes were severe against his skin and there was redness in his eyes. If Andrew didn't know better he'd suspect Neil was a weed smoking insomniac, "How long ago?" 

"Like a minute and a half." 

"And you didn't freak out? Most people freak out." 

"You had a soft landing," Andrew bent his head back to knock on the couch's cushion, " I made sure you were breathing, that's it." 

"Shit." 

And that was fair. It was shitty. Nothing either of them could do about it really. No point dwelling on the stuff that's shitty. Neil was sick, Andrew couldn't change that, but there was one thing he wanted to change. He had no idea how deep Neil was in his Stockholm like obsession with making his mother happy at the expense of his own health. Somewhere in the back of his mind the word hypocrite rang over and over. 

"Could've been worse, you could've fainted in front of mommy dearest. I bet she would have put on a show, huh?" 

"Shut up, you don't know shit about her." 

"I know she's basically a televangelist, expect for her god is you're sickness. Sure it's not Munchausen by Proxy?" 

And he knew he hit a nerve by the twitch in Neil's eyebrow. There was rage festering. 

"Shut the fuck up." 

"Well, you're alive and well. You're no longer my problem." , Andrew stood up and returned to his own couch. He kept up the appearance of nonchalance. Offred had just made it to the market when the voice that spit fire at him before cautiously asked him, 

"What are you reading?" 

\- 

Their friendship, or whatever you might call a 30 minute talk once a week, was odd. Andrew didn't know when he started liking Neil. Well no, he didn't like him. He tolerated him. 

Kevin had a lot of theories on the topic. 

"I think that he reminds you of me." 

Andrew scoffed, "Of you?" 

Kevin nodded. Andrew had been spending the night at the Wymack household when this conversation arose. Andrew was on the floor on top of a pile of blankets and a shag carpet. Kevin spoke from his bed into the darkness surrounding the both of them. 

"Well yeah, I'm not scared of you and he clearly isn't either." 

"Death's on his tale, what greater fear can you have than that." 

Kevin just huffed. If Andrew was a label sort of man (which he wasn't), he'd say Kevin was his first and only friend. Only real one he'd ever had. 

\- 

Kevin had come up to him in the cafeteria and sat down across from him without a warning or a real reason, "Why do you wear that bracelet?" He'd asked. 

Andrew looked from the man down at his wrist and back again. There were a couple of bracelets there, most were simple ones he'd stolen at partys he'd been forced to attend. "Which one?" 

Kevin looked back up from his lunch and pointed at the one furthest up his arm. It was alternating blue and silver beads. 

"My cousin got it for me." 

"It's for diabetes," Andrew knew that,"do you have diabetes?" 

"No, but he does." 

Kevin's face scrunched a little, "That doesn't make sense." 

"No it doesn't. He's not a very logical guy." 

And he just hummed and kept eating. The next day Kevin showed up at the table and they stayed in silence. The next day they exchanged a few words and in a weeks time they were holding conversations. 

No one had ever seen Andrew Minyard talk this much.

\- 

"I don't think that's why. I couldn't handle two Kevin's in my life." 

He leveled him with a glare, "Ha ha. Very funny Andrew. Well if that's not the reason, then what is?" 

And Andrew really didn't know. 


	2. Dinner at Kevin's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner at Kevin's is not new for Andrew, he's practically a regular.
> 
> Neil is not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

Andrew had been spending the night more and more often. Tonight, a Thursday of all things, was no exception. He arrived at 5 just as he always did. About twenty minutes before dinner was served. That had been an interesting transition for Andrew; The Wymack household had a dinner time, a lights out time, a schedule, a rhyme a reason. Andrew's house had the consistency of Nicky's sporadic weekend trips. This sort of schedule felt so . . . Familial. It felt like what a tv show family would do.

The few of his foster homes which held any semblance of schedule was a curfew and a cut off time for being let back in the building. A younger Andrew clung to the rebellion strangers and the nighttime held; he'd faced the consequences through cold nights tucked on the porch waiting for the door to be unlocked in the morning.

When Andrew walked up the front steps he tried to avoid the feelings arising. The sentimentality making him want to gag. Thankfully a distraction quickly presented itself.  
Kevin was yelling at someone in the dining room.

"Natural medicine is not completely a scam! Aloe Vera works for burns, teas sooth the throat, plants can ease itchiness. However a tree can't stop you from getting polio you dumb fuck."  
Despite what some may think, Kevin rarely yelled. He scolded, he corrected, he spoke up, but he didn't yell. It made Andrew wonder who could possibly be the "dumb fuck" in question at the receiving end of Kevin's onslaught. However the answer came easily, the lilt of a laugh you didn't want directed at you, it was familiar.

Neil fucking Josten.

"It's not like I'm not vaccinated. But why do we need a new flu shot every year? What about it is changing?"

And Andrew could tell he was just saying it to rile Kevin up. It was an extremely successful tactic. He took a deep breath of air, likely preparing to slaughter Neil with logic and facts. The words never left as Kevin froze when he saw Andrew in the doorway.

"Andrew, dinner will be ready at 5:20." It always was, "And Neil will be having dinner with us."

Andrew exhaled, "If you give me polio I'll kill you."

"Oh please, you'd be lucky to contract my polio."

Kevin makes a face that tells Andrew all he needs to know. Whatever Neil had just said was the wrong thing to say. He'd won their little argument.

"Polio is contracted through contaminated stool. If you thoroughly washed your hands after wiping your ass you won't be giving anyone polio."

At that very moment Abby walked in with a big smile, "What a conversation to walk in on huh? Anyway we're having burgers. We have veggie or beef, y'all want cheese or no cheese? I'm taking orders."

To Andrews surprise Neil didn't seem afraid of Abby. In all fairness, she is the least intimidating person in earth. Her round sweet cheeks flush red with every smile, her eyes squint almost completely closed when she laughs and she has the voice of a Midwest grandma; not exactly an intimidating combination. Still, a woman figure with an outward cheery and pleasant demeanor, it had to be a bad type of familiar for Neil.

However he leaned towards her warmth and didn't flinch from her hand ruffling through his hair. He did however, keep Wymack in his line of sight and at least an arm's length away at all times.

Perhaps mother dearest was not Neil's worst demon.

Kevin had a beef patty with no cheese, Neil had a veggie patty with no cheese, and Andrew had a beef patty with extra cheese. Andrew tried not to make a face at Neil's order, in case it was a cancer thing. Then he scolded himself for treating the boy any differently.

"Calm down herbivore."

"Your bulky arms may come from the protein in your steaks and burgers but so will the heart disease which is coming for you sooner than later.", he let out a cackle at his own joke. It was shrill and Andrew refused to smile at the sound. He flipped Neil off instead.

Wymack walked back in with two plates in his hands. Abby tutted behind closing the screen door and letting the breeze float in. They sat at either side of the table, the "kids" squished in the middle. Neil was hiding his discomfort fairly well.

Neil looked around as no one made a move for the food. He let out a little sound of uncertainty before Abby jumped in, "I'm religious so I pray before every meal but none of the boys are so feel free to join me or not. No biggie."

She then proceeded to dip her head, close her eyes, and mumble what Andrew always thought must be similar to the Appleseed so they'd learned in 2nd grade. The adult version probably.

Neil gave Kevin a little panicked look before dipping his head too. Andrew snorted. Not a chance in the world thst boy was praying.  
When Abby's head lifted back up with a quiet Amen, everyone reached out for the food.

Dinner passed without event. They talked some but mostly just kept eating. It was nice, there was never pressure to talk about your day or make conversation during dinner. If you wanted, you wouldn't have to say a word the entire time.

As always Wymack finished first and Abby was quick to follow. Somehow they were the fastest eaters Andrew had ever met. Even the starving kids he'd encountered. Maybe, just maybe, when Andrew hadn't eaten for three days and a waitress offered him leftover pancakes. She'd laughed at him for inhaling them.

They brought their plates to the counter by the sink. A task to do later. Wymack walked into the living room and his wife followed close behind.

Neil had confusion in his eyes, "What are they doing? Are we supposed to clean up?"

Andrew just looked at Kevin to explain while he chewed a bite a little too big, "They always do this. Says it keeps them young or whatever."

True to history there was a small click before music filled the house. They'd put on a record. Duran Duran painted the walls and Rio held everyone's hands. Andrew brought his plate to the counter and stacked the three there.

He made eyecontact with Neil while walking to the living room.  
Wymack and Abby held each other and danced in the middle of the room. Socked feet shuffling on the hard floor.

Andrew took his normal seat off to the side and watched Kevin saunter towards his parents. They pulled him towards them and they swayed and danced awkwardly together. Neil soon appeared, lingered in the doorway looking in.

Abby extended a hand to him and when he made no motion to accept, she threw a pretend lasso around him. Her hip bumped to the beat.

He let out a little laugh and waved her off. She just smiled and laughed turning to her family and nailing her air-drum solo.  
Neil sat near Andrew on the couch.

-

Apparently Neil was also spending the night. Andrew didn't know how to feel about this. What if he woke up and found a corpse next to him in the morning. Was that a possibility? Would he even be able to sleep with a new person in the room? Would Kevin send him to another room, or would he send Neil away?

Well Andrew's worries (that he'd deny having in the first place) were eased when around 11 that night the ringing of a phone distracted them all from the tv. Regular Show was funnier than Andrew remembered it being. 

It was dark in Kevin's room and the small tv was the only source of light, Neil dashed in front of it towards his bag. He grabbed blindly for his phone in a crowded duffle.

His actions were frantic. Must have been his mom calling.

On what must have been the last ring he finally flipped the old phone open and whispered out "hello?"

Andrew didn't bother trying to ignore the conversation. By the tilt of his head Kevin was doing the same. There was a back and forth, a quickening of breath, a I'll be there in 15, and the snap of a flip phone closing. They all breath in the quiet of the room for a few seconds, 

"I need to go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how you liked it!


	3. Driving you home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew Drives Neil home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> tw: brief mentions of child abuse, nothing graphic

Neil was, unfortunately, very very attractive.

Now Andrew would never tell another soul that he thought this unless he was at gunpoint or some other ridiculous hypothetical, and even then he might not. There was something about being alone so often that made Andrew weary to exist. To have an effect on others. The Wymack household was an exception. Andrew didn't think he would let Neil into the circle.

He hadn't planned on it anyway.

But here he was, driving faster than the legal speed limit for a boy he barely knew.

Neil was breathing fast in the passenger seat. He had sat down gingerly, afraid to touch, afraid to dirty the clear sign of wealth that was the Maserati. His bag was clutched perfectly on his lap so the stained burlap didn't touch anything else. It was odd but Andrew chose to ignore it. It wasn't his business.

They got on the freeway by pushing through a yellow and picked up speed speed speed until they matched pace with the other cars.

"What exit?"

And Neil had flinched. His body pulled him away from Andrew, into the passenger seat door. He once again chose to ignore it. It's a reflex, it wasn't personal.

"Uh, 176. And turning left.", His speech was clipped. Andrew felt weird about all of this.

This was Neil Josten. The boy who'd limped from class to rec center to Kevin's house to Andrew's car; who sometimes needed crutches and sometimes did not, who's mom pinched him and pulled him, who's cheek bones stood out like a statue, who trusted Andrew enough to get into his car, who flinched away. This was Neil Josten.

Andrew realized he didn't really know him at all.

He crossed three lanes of traffic to make there exit and ignored the honks. Neil kept twitching out of the corner of his eye.

Andrew took a moment to let muscle memory control his driving.

It was obvious that Neil's mom was abusing him to some extent, it seemed to go beyond the passing-in-public version Andrew had witnessed. He hadn't spoken of a father or any other family, so what would have brought him home so urgently?

"Turn right at the light."

And Andrew let himself do it.

He had seen Neil's mother and him standing in front of some shitty house on the news. Well his mom was standing, he was sitting with a blanket on his lap like clip art of someone with cancer. Next thing you know he'll be bald with a knitted hat on his head. Maybe that was a fucked up thought, whatever.

"You can stop here."

They were on a straight stretch and Andrew pulled himself from his thoughts. He slowed down, put his hazards on and turned to Neil who's hand was resting on the door. He looked frozen, completely still.

"If I let you go will you survive what you're walking into?"

And then he turned, broken from where he was stuck on the door handle. His eyebrows were somewhere between angry and sad. Desperation. He looked like someone you'd never see again, this face being the last memory. Andrew wouldn't let Neil haunt him.

"Run away with me."

"I can't."

"I won't let your mom kill you."

"Thats none of your fucking business."

"Neil, is she the one you're afraid of?"

And then Neil looked away. Anger was winning over sadness. Despair washed away by rage.

"No. You already knew that though right? You know everything don't you? Well you don't know shit about me Andrew so don't fucking pretend you're any different than Jeremy Knox or any of those other fuckers. Just because I'm sick doesn't mean you need to save me."

"Who are you afraid of?"

"It's my dad okay. I'll be fine. Let me go."

And although Andrew had never locked the doors he let Neil go. He turned his gaze. He said, "okay." He let Neil go.

And he left down the road, his crutches hitting the ground fast fast, an act of desperation.

-

Andrew texted Kevin as soon as Neil was out of sight,

\- I won't be coming back tonight

Kevin responded a minute later

Okay.-

Andrew knew him well enough to know the tone wasn't passive aggressive. If Aaron had texted him that he'd get pissed, but he knew Kevin just wasn't great over text. He said texting annoyed him. He could never tell when people were joking or not. In person was much easier. 

Andrew set the phone back down in the center console and he crept the car forward. He kept sneaking further and further from the freeway until he reached the corner Neil had disappeared behind. There were rows of of . . . Andrew realized he didn't know what they were called. They weren't trailers but they were all small and close together. 

There were kids playing what might have been soccer, running between them and darting every which way. There were people lounged infant of their own houses sitting and laughing and drinking. There was loud music from somewhere and a grouchy old man yelling to turn it off. It was odd. If Andrew squinted he could see a figure booking it towards the last building in the row, someone on crutches. 

Andrew sat and watched, feeling a bit like a creep. He wished he'd brought his glasses.

The woman from the rec center opened the door and she was all smiles. It seemed weird she would keep the act up at home, maybe it was for the neighbors. She was pulled from the doorway and a man took her place. He grabbed Neil's arm, kicked one of the crutches away and slammed the door shut in his face. Neil stood their frozen. He pulled out his phone and held it against his ear for what must have been 30 seconds. He pushed his hands against his eyes. Andrew looked away quickly, giving him the space to cry without someone watching him. 

His phone rang in the car. Vibrating against the console. 

He flicked his eyes to Neil who's phone was pulled to his ear still, then to the phone.

"Hello?"

There was a sniffle. A defeated little sound and Andrew ached. 

"Andrew?"

And there was a moment of panic where Andrew prayed the boy didn't look back and see him still sitting in the car. He threw the car in reverse and backed up.

"Neil."

And as Andrew kept going going going down the long stretch away from Neil he prayed he'd be coming right back.

"Are you on the freeway yet?"

If he'd really driven away he would have been, "Not yet."

"Can you come and get me."

"I'll be there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you enjoyed it!!!
> 
> They'll be hitting the road soon

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this!!!!
> 
> Please let me know if my portrayal of Kevin as autistic is offensive in anyway!! I’ve based him off of my friend but I don’t know their full experience so I hope to be as accurate as I can <3


End file.
